Eastleigh Works
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Eastleigh Railway Works was in the town of Eastleigh in the county of Hampshire in England.
The London and South Western Railway first opened it in 1891 as a carriage and wagon works in 1891 with the removal of the work from Nine Elms in London. In 1903 repair shops were moved in from Southampton.
In 1910, locomotive building was also transferred from Nine Elms, becoming the principal works for the Southern Railway, building over 300 steam locomotives by 1947.
Among the locomotives it produced were the King Arthur, Schools, Merchant Navy and West Country classes.
Like most of the railway works, Eastleigh was heavily involved in the war effort, producing, in 1938, sets of parts to convert Blenheim bombers so that they could be used as fighters.The works was also part of a joint venture with other workshops, railway and private, to produce Horsa gliders for the D-Day airborne assault. With Lancing works, it turned out 200 tail units. It also produced 1500 anti-tank gun barrels and, with Brighton, 240 multiple rocket launchers, plus landing craft, fuel tenders and harbour launches. It also built LMS-designed 2-8-0s.
From 1959 the works gradually changed over to steam and diesel repairs, building only electric locomotives new.
In 1945, the carriage works began constructing all-steel carriages, both electric and steam hauled. It pioneered the use of plastics and glass fibre reinforced resin for doors, seating and roof sections. This continued until 1962 when the work was reorganised with the carriage works site being sold, and repairs transferred to the locomotive works. In 1968 it closed down with new carriage building being transferred to Derby and York, and new locomotives to Crewe.
[edit] References
- Boocock, Colin and Stanton, Peter (2006) An illustrated history of Eastleigh Locomotive Works, Hersham: Oxford Publishing Co.
- Eagles, Barry J. (2002) Eastleigh: steam centre of the South Western, Settle: Waterfront
- Larkin, E.J. and Larkin, J.G. (1988) The Railway Workshops of Great Britain 1823-1986, Macmillan Press
- Simmons, J., (1986) The Railway in Town and Country, Newton Abbot: David and Charles
- Winkworth, Bob (2007) Eastleigh: the railway, the town, the people, Southampton: Noodle Books
